PM [Pop Music]: The 25 Best Albums of 2013

2013 was the year I finally managed to shed my snobbery and embrace all things pop, thanks to my aforementioned obsession with the movie Pitch Perfect. So when I say pop I mean mainstream pop. Like Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, and Rihanna. Most of that stuff didn't make it onto this list because I was digging into prior year releases, but the inclusion of the likes of Charli XCX, Lorde, and MS MR are telling, even though it isn't necessarily "uncool" to like those artists. I also got really into black metal with the release of Deafheaven's "Sunbather," and all of that will appear on my Best Metal Albums of 2013 list later this week. My Bloody Valentine's "m b v" threw me over a shoegaze cliff that introduced me to a whole new world of 90's rock I'd never heard, like Catherine Wheel, Chapterhouse, and Ride.

I suppose what I'm trying to get at is that even though these are my favorite 25 albums that were released this year, I could make a much longer list of favorite albums that I happened to discover this year.

But let's not discount 2013. There were lots of outstanding releases, and it was one of the best years for new music in recent memory. I think some releases were overhyped (I'm looking at you, Kanye West and Arcade Fire), and some releases were criminally underrated (CHVRCHES, Junip), but that does nothing to distinguish 2013 from any other year. But we're not here to talk about the nature of the beast. We're simply here to admire it. Let's get to it.

I'd like to note that I began writing little thoughtful blurbs for each album on this list, but I ran out of time before I could finish them all. Apologies for not starting this sooner and giving myself time to put out quality posts. I did put together a Spotify playlist, however, which you can find at the bottom of the list.

After the jump, The 25 Best Albums of 2013.

25. Forest Swords - "Engravings"

Monday, December 30, 2013

The 25 Best Albums of 2013

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